Washington, Mar 9, 2007 -

Congressman Patrick McHenry today released the following statement in response to the illegal alien traffic stop Wednesday night in Burke County. Authorities pulled over a sport utility vehicle packed with illegal aliens, but were forced to release them after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials were not available to check the group’s immigration status.

“Local law enforcement officials, not the illegal aliens, were handcuffed on I-40 last night – and their hands were tied by red tape and inadequate resources,” said Congressman McHenry. “The result is that these illegals aliens were set free into our community – and it represents the failure of Washington to seal off our borders as well as fully fund our nation’s ICE programs.”

McHenry added: “Last year, I invited a bipartisan panel of local law enforcement officials to Gastonia for a Congressional field hearing on illegal immigration. The hearing brought to the forefront the absolute necessity for more federal funding to strengthen our ICE agents’ abilities to enforce our nation’s immigration laws. Additionally, there is a growing epidemic of illegal aliens filling our local jails – when they shouldn’t be in our country in the first place. This problem will not stop – in fact, it will grow worse – unless Washington takes a stand for our laws and against lawbreakers.”